Without Her
by Herochick007
Summary: Daphne can't find her place without her sister who was killed in the Battle of Hogwarts. Harry is tired of being used, tired of being something to everyone except himself. Might they be able to help each other?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I don't own anything you recognize. **

**This is for the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges forum**

**Are you crazy enough to do it Challenge**

**731\. (lyric prompt) "Hold your head up high, there's a world outside, that's passing by." – Dear Daughter – Halestorm**

**If You Dare Challenge **

**939 – Dancing in the Ruins**

**50 Prompts Hurt/Comfort Challenge **

**(scenario)running away from home **

**Word count: 688**

Daphne slid the bow across the violin, the music filling the room. She closed her eyes, her feet slid across the floor. She had never danced like this before, never taken the chance, but tonight, tonight she needed to something.

Tears welled in her eyes. Her little sister, gone, just like that, a stray spell during the battle, a strangled cry and then silence. She swung her right leg, her toes pointed. Astoria loved to play, loved to dance.

Daphne knew the sounds coming from the violin were screeching, knew they weren't really music, knew her movements were nothing like Astoria's beautiful graceful dances. She sank to her knees, the violin clattering to the floor next to her.

"I'm sorry, Tori, I am so sorry," she whispered. "I tried so much, Tori, tried so hard to...I don't know, Tori. I can't be you, I can't dance, can't play, can't find the beauty without you," she sobbed against the golden plaque bearing her sister's name.

"You can't be her. You can only be you," a voice stated from behind Daphne. She raised her head turning slightly. A man was standing there, a young man, maybe her age. She knew she should have recognized him, but her vision was still blurred with tears.

"I'm sorry?"

"Mind if I sit?" he asked gesturing to the ground next to her.

"Sure, why not, I'm a mess right now." She slid the violin into her bag.

"I said you can't be her, your sister, you can only be you. That's what she probably would have wanted. I don't remember meeting her, but it seems to be a theme lately. I've tried to be so much for so many people, a silent secret, a good friend, a pawn for a madman's game, a savior to a world I never really fit into. I've realized now, after all this, I need to start just being me." Daphne blinked the tears from her eyes. The man she was talking to came into focus.

"And what does that entail?" she asked.

"Taking a step back, leaving England."

"Take me with you?" Daphne asked. A bold move, she needed to make a bold move, something to move on, something, anything.

"You want to leave?" She nodded.

"Yes, Harry, yes I do. I will never be able to move on, never be able to stop thinking about Astoria, find my own life, if I stay here. Please?" Harry nodded slowly.

"I'm leaving in the morning, sevenish, meet me at King's Cross station if you want to come." Daphne smiled as Harry helped her to her feet.

"I'll see you then, thank you," she whispered giving him a soft kiss on his cheek before walking away.

DHDHDHDHDHDHDH

Harry checked his watch. She was running late, maybe. He'd said sevenish. He was holding a single suitcase, was dressed in muggle clothes, and had swapped his gold for muggle money. There was nothing to connect him to the wizarding world. He'd even left his wand behind. He didn't want to need it or rely on it any more.

"Harry? I'm sorry I'm late, at least I think I am, I had to stop and change a few things." He smiled looking at Daphne. She'd managed to dress muggle enough not to draw attention. She was wearing a green jumper, a pair of soft looking black slacks, and was carrying a small suitcase. He gave it a look.

"It's not enchanted or anything, I promise. I took your words to heart, I left everything behind. I am fully ready to start over. Do I need to buy a ticket?"

"No, I've got one for you, I was hoping you'd decide to come. I could use the company."

"Where are we going?"

"The airport first, and from there, wherever we want. I'm not set on a place yet. Maybe America?"

"I've never been there, sure!" Daphne followed Harry as they boarded the train, for once her thoughts weren't on Astoria. They were on the man in front of her, the idea of flying in a muggle airplane, and wondering what America would be like.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I still don't own Harry Potter. **

Daphne decided she hated muggle airports. They were loud, crowded, and boring. They had booked a flight to New York City. Daphne had heard of it, of course, who hadn't. They didn't have a plan once they arrived, but that was part of the fun. She glanced over at Harry.

"Knut for your thoughts?' she asked. He blinked at her laughed.

"Penny, the saying is 'penny for your thoughts'. It's an American expression, I think. Since they use pennies." Daphne nodded laughing at her own mistake. The muggle world was going to take some getting used to. Although her family had never been as idealistic as say the Malfoys, they still did have some belief about the muggle world being beneath them. She'd never even stepped into the muggle world until she'd turned sixteen.

"Alright then, penny for your thoughts? I thought Canada used them too, or did I misremember something?" Daphne had taken muggle studies as one of her electives. She'd been curious about how different they really were from wizards. The similarities had surprised her.

"I just hope I'm doing the right thing. Honestly."

"We both need to get away, remember? You want to figure out who you are, and I need to figure out who I am without Astoria. Did you know she was going to be married after graduation." Harry frowned.

"New rule, since the whole point of this is to forget about what we're leaving behind, temporarily, how about neither of us discuss our pasts, well at least the parts we're running from. Let's start over completely?"

"Like a game?"

"Sort of, I guess."

"Okay, let's do that. I guess we should establish some rules then? Um, I'm pretty sure no more mentioning my sister. And for you, no mentioning the war. I know it's on your mind." Harry nodded.

"Since we're pretending to be muggles, no mentions of magic." Daphen nodded slowly. This could get complicated fast, but hadn't she signed up for something different, something bolder than what she usually did?

"Agreed. So, we need a new topic. Um...have you ever been to New York City before?"

"Never been outside of England actually. You?"

"I've been to France on holiday. Do you think the States will be that much different from England?"

"No idea, I know our accents will stand out some."

"I'm going to see if I can buy a guide or something from that bookshop. How much longer do we have until our plane boards?" Daphne really hated waiting.

"About half an hour, go ahead. Maybe we should make a list of things to see in New York City?" Daphne smiled walking over to the bookshop.

She'd never heard of any of the books they were selling, but she did find a travel guide for New York City. She bought it along with several other books that caught her attention. Maybe she could learn how to act more muggle by reading about them?


End file.
